Autism and Vaccines

If B follows A, that does not mean A caused B. Yet when people seek explanations for mysterious ailments, it can be hard to resist making that leap.

That fallacy is what lies at the root of the hysteria over a supposed link between autism and the Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Last week a federal court confirmed what has been the mainstream view of the scientific community from the beginning: The vaccine does not cause autism. The decision by a special court set up to evaluate claims for compensation was a blow to families who feel they have been victimized by vaccine makers. The court concluded those families have, in fact, been victimized by "bad science conducted to support litigation."

Backing that up was an article in the London Sunday Times that detailed how doctors in England had distorted data to create the vaccine panic. It began in 1998 when the prestigious medical journal the Lancet ran an article warning of a possible connection between the vaccine and the onset of autism. The Lancet is usually known for its meticulous peer review process. But in this case the editors made a number of errors. Among them was permitting the authors to base such an alarming allegation on such a small sample size: 12 children.

Worse, as investigative reporter Brian Deer revealed in the Times piece, many of the children had shown symptoms of autism before they received the vaccine. And the lead doctor of the study declined to reveal that he received more than half a million dollars working with a lawyer who was seeking to litigate the link between MMR and autism.

The Lancet is now trying to recover its reputation. Meanwhile, the medical community here in America is trying to restore realism to a debate that is having a measurable impact on children's health.

Measles can cause severe illness and even death in some instances, and the vaccine has been remarkably effective in reducing its incidence. In Australia, the diseases has been eradicated thanks to MMR. But here in the United States, as in England, the disease lingers, largely because of fears about the vaccine.

Many of those raising alarms are no doubt well-intentioned. But the many reputable scientists who have studied this issue over the years have come to the conclusion that there is no cause-and-effect link between vaccines and autism.

What's needed now is not further attempts to draw a connection where none exists, but scientifically sound research into the causes and possible cures for this tragic illness.